Worlds Apart: A Story of Vikings and Dragons
by GBJackson
Summary: The Vikings of New Berk and the dragons of the Hidden World face the challenges of adapting to their respective new circumstances. Though their journey together has ended, their stories are far from over. My take on what happens after HTTYD3
1. Chapter 1

_I neither own nor claim any rights to How To Train Your Dragon_

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**Well folks, here I am again, starting another story while I still have other stories that have gone unfinished. A little news on that front. I am cancelling the remainder of Ripple in Time. I started it far enough in advance of HTTYD3 that it was realistic to assume that I would finish before we got an official answer to the question of "Why are there no dragons on Earth?" But unfortunately, Real life happened, and I found myself with less and less time to write fan fiction, though I have tossed in a few items like "Valka's Journal," and "Jarin and Tarina." Valka's Journal is a topic-centric contribution more than an actual story. I first wanted to deal with Valka getting acquainted with Hiccup's friends, and a dragon-friendly Berk. If I get ideas for other topics, I'll add to the collection. Jarin And Tarina is the continuation of my original character's story arc from his point of view as he helps his wife run their village by leading its new dragon academy. There are a lot of potential stories to be told within that continuity, but aside from the multi-chapter intro, I will likely give them each a single chapter that has a beginning and ending.**

**But Ripple in Time is going to be canceled. I will make a final addition to it at some point, so at least anyone with any interest in it will know how I had planned to end it.**

**So what is this new story I am starting? It begins right after the big goodbye in "The Hidden World." Hiccup and the citizens of New Berk face the challenge of building their settlement and re-adapting to a dragonless lifestyle, and the challenge of persuading their allies to do the same. And at the same time, Toothless and his draconian subjects from Old Berk begin making The Hidden World their home. But the arrival of so many dragons that smell so strongly of human, loyalties among the pre-existing population quickly become divided. Just who is this Night Fury newcomer, really? And by what right does he presume to lead them all? Dragon-kind has its own societal challenges.**

**Vikings and Dragons may now be separated from each other, but neither of their stories are over.**

**So, let's get to it, shall we?**

* * *

**WORLDS APART****  
A Story of Vikings and Dragons**

**Chapter One**

Hiccup, supported by his beloved Astrid, stood gazing at the horizon long after the last of Berk's dragons had become nothing but unidentifiable dots in the sky, far beyond his, and hopefully any other Viking's reach. He knew he had made the right decision, and yet he could not remember ever having felt as empty as he did in this very moment. Toothless was gone. The first person, _Yes,_ he thought, _Person, because he is so much more than some dumb animal,_ to give him any semblance of hope for his future or sense of purpose, was gone. Unbidden, the tears came as his Soul-bound dragon companion's absence washed over him in truth, like an unending flood of hopelessness and despair. It was a lucky thing that he had no prosthetic leg on, because in that moment, he wanted nothing more than to run straight for the cliff and leap to what he hoped was a quick watery death.

"What now," he cried. "Where do we go from here? And how do we get there?"

Astrid eased him down to a sitting position in the grass and then sat down as well, facing him. She reached out and gently rested her hand on his cheek. "We go forward," she said, voice heavy with emotion, and tears flowing from her eyes as well, "And we will get there as we have always ever gotten anywhere else." She looked directly into Hiccup's eyes. "Together."

Hiccup shook his head and reached out to pull Astrid into a tender embrace. And holding each other close, they both mourned the absence of their dragons.

Vikings did not typically shed tears openly for all the world to see, but at this moment, nobody gathered in the field overlooking the cliffs of New Berk cared. If their chief and his betrothed were willing to let fall their tears, that was good enough for them. There was not a dry eye among the gathered citizens of what they were determined would become New Berk, and just as Hiccup and Astrid did, they all mourned the absence of friends they thought would be with them for life.

Most of them remained there until there were no more tears to fall, and the stars were all sparkling like diamonds in the night. As time would pass, this day would become known in their society as "The Day of Tears," though their descendants would eventually forget the reason why. But for as long as anyone from this gathering remained alive, it would become a yearly tradition to gather on this spot, gaze into the horrizon, and mourn anew for the absence of dragons, as well as for the loss of any among their number whom the Valkyries would have taken to Valhalla during that year. Ultimately, the latter remembrance would become the tradition.

Eventually, hunger and cold began drawing the people away from the field and back to the collection of tents and supply stands that was the basis of the settlement that would grow around it. Among the first to leave the field were several of the village women, and they had done so for two purposes. The first being that they needed to see to it that the people would be fed, and the second being that they needed to do something to get their grief under control. By the time the rest of the people returned, the torches had already been lit, and food had very nearly been completely cooked. And just a short while later, everyone was enjoying a bowl of hot vegetable stew, seasoned with wild onions that had been discovered growing almost everywhere on this new island. While the food was delicious and filling, everyone ate in silence, not wanting to say anything for fear that it would open the emotional floodgates anew.

Eventually, everyone began looking in Hiccup's direction, and he was doing his best to avoid eye contact. _I did this,_ he thought to himself. _I helped them discover the greatest gift they could possibly imagine, and then I took it away from them._

"You need to make a speech, Hiccup," Astrid said, resting her arm around his shoulders. "They need a little hope right now."

Hiccup reached up and took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Them and me both."

Astrid chuckled at his sarcasm, but the mirth was short-lived as the sadness washed over her again. _I will not cry again, _she scolded herself. _I won't. _And she didn't. Not because she wouldn't, but because she couldn't. There were simply no tears left for this day. But the days ahead, she was sure, would be filled with grief.

Hiccup stood to his feet and all eyes turned to him. He cleared his throat and spoke with a voice that was just as strained by grief as everyone else's. "People of Berk," he said. "Before I say anything else, I want to tell you all that I am so sorry." He looked around the room and saw pain in everyone's eyes, but not anger.

"When we left our home of more than three hundred years behind, we were headed to the Hidden World," stated the chief. "I had believed that it was to be a safe haven for all our dragons, and for those who loved them." He shook his head. "Astrid and I have seen it with our own eyes. We saw Toothless and his Light Fury mate standing in leadership of all dragons living there. Even Drago Bludvist's bewilderbeast bowed before him, and that gives you an idea of how truly vast the place is. I thought that surely there was more than enough room for dragons and humans to live down there in peace."

The people began to murmur at this. "Why couldn't we?" came Spitelout's grief-strained shout.

Hiccup nodded in acknowledgement of the question. "A dragon discovered us and attacked. Once our presence was revealed, the entire place went into an uproar, and many dragons immediately charged. Not with an intent to scare us off, but with a clear intent to kill us. In the face of that level of determination on there part, not a single one of my dragon-pacifying skills would have worked. If it were not for Toothless, we would be dead."

Spitelout bowed his head. He wanted to argue, but over the years he had seen the things Hiccup could do with wild dragons. But they were always done with single, or small groups of dragons. Never with a horde the size his chief seemed to imply.

"The Hidden World is their world," continued Hiccup. "We can never enter it. Our dragons are safe there now. That is the only comfort I can speak. No force of human kind can reach them. And from what I saw, thriving down there will not be difficult. So we accomplished at least part of what we set out to do. The most important part."

The people began murmuring agreements and nodding. The separation frm their dragons would be difficult, but for the first time since the end of the Dragon-Viking war, the dragons were truly safe and protected. They would never know cruelty or war again.

"And what of us?" This from Gobber who had been standing silently among the people. "Where do we go from here?"

Hiccup and Astrid exchanged a knowing look.

"I recently asked Astrid the same thing." he took her hand and gently kissed her knuckles. "And the answer she gave me, I now give to you all. We go forward, and we will get there the same way as we have ever gotten anywhere." He paused and looked the crowd over. "TOGETHER" he shouted.

The crowd erupted in applause and cheers of "together." Their sorrow was not forgotten. But this was only a new beginning, one of many the people of Old Berk had embarked upon for over seven generations. And now the people of New Berk would embark upon their latest new beginning, unified, strong, stubborn and determined.

O O O

As the dragon flew, even the slowest among them, the journey to the Hidden World was measured in minutes rather than hours. There was something to be said about being able to travel in a straight line with no storms or other obstacles along the way. But even so, every dragon but two in the massive flock kept looking back the way they came with longing and a feeling of guilt at having abandoned their two-legged friends, or at least the humans who had welcomed them and had given them sanctuary. And yet. the Alpha said follow, so they followed. It was not their place to question why.

The two dragons who did not look back were the two all the others followed. The Alpha and his mate.

"Why do you not look back," asked Starfire, the one the humans called Light Fury, to her amusement.

Toothless said nothing, and if there was any reaction from him, it was to look even straighter ahead than he was before, which would not have seemed possible to any casual observer, human or dragon.

"Darkwing, please talk to me. I only want to understand what you are feel-"

"My name is _Toothless,_" The black dragon interrupted curtly, but not coldly. "I gave up that other name when Hiccup saved me and gave me new hope."

Starfire scoffed. "You mean when he knocked you out of the sky, robbed you of your flight, and tamed you," she admonished.

Toothless didn't give into the anger that was beginning to well up within him at her words. She had not had the same experiences with humans as he had. She had only know cruelty from them, while he had experienced sympathy, and had even witness a society change from hatred to trust and compassion towards dragons. All because of one young Viking who decided to seek a different path. "No, Starfire," he replied calmly. "I mean when he took responsibility for what he did, and then proceeded to do everything in his power to fix it. Did you know that the price for what he was doing for me was to be disowned by his own kind with the strong likelihood of being cast out? A dragon would rather die than face isolation like that, and yet he embraced the risk for the sake of what he had never known before: Friendship."

Starfire's eyes widened at this. Up until this very moment, all she had was a very condensed version of what had brought a Night Fury to allow a human to ride him. She had assumed that the scrawny Viking leader had claimed him as some sort of prized pet. "So that is why he let go of me after telling me to save you." her voice was tight. "He was willing to die if it meant you could live. I guess he didn't realize that I could save both of you."

Toothless chuckled. "If our roles were reversed, and they have been before, I would do the same for him."

"You make him sound like a dragon in a way," she said.

Toothless smiled. "His mother said on more than one occasion that he has the heart of a Viking chief, and the soul of a dragon. So in the most important way, he _is_ a dragon."

Starfire was silent for a moment. "So then, why_ don't_ you look back like the others?"

Toothless' ear plates dropped, and he sighed. "Because if I did, I know that there woule be no force in this world that would stop me from turning around and flying back to him."

Starfire's eyes narrowed. "Not even me?"

Toothless didn't reply.

Starfire grunted, spit out a plasma blast which she flew into and vanished. She needed time to process what she had just learned, and nothing helped her think better than an unseen flight.

Toothless watched her disappear and sighed. He wished he could explain how strong the bond between a dragon and his or her human was. But words fall drastically short, concerning matters of the soul. He was still soul-bound to Hiccup, and he always would be. That was how the Creator Of All had made it, and there was no going against His infinite wisdom. The bond was so strong that even if he were blind, he could fly straight back to his human and land right in front of him. In fact, it pulled at him, urging him to do exactly that.

But he couldn't. He was the Alpha of this entire flock, and quite possibly the entire population of the Hidden World. He didn't ask for it. But the Creator Of All had granted him immeasurable power when he and Hiccup had been encased in the ice from Drago's bewilderbeast. Enough to shatter that ice and unleash a fiery attack against the massive creature. All dragons had a shot limit. It wasn't a matter of will, but rather a physical, biological fact. Only one thing in the living world could override that limit. Eating an eel. Something about the nasty creatures hyper-stimulated a dragon's ability to make fire while at the same time twisting their mind into uncontrollable chaos. But what had happened to Toothless was nothing like that. The only thing inside him was the light of glorious truth, and there was no chaos. But he had surrendered the power once the threat was dealt with.

He was changed forever after that. The dragons of Berk and Itchy Armpit saw that he had become a vessel for the Creator's justice, and a tool of their salvation from an evil being. By defeating an Alpha, he undeniably had become one himself. Word of him had spread among dragons far and wide. And while many mistrusted the human who rode him, when he showed up, they were willing to follow him anywhere. And they learned first hand about the wonders that he and his human had accomplished together. But the dragons saw Toothless as the chosen one of the Creator to lead them to peace and safety. Hiccup was just an afterthought. But Toothless understood that the Creator had chosen them both. There would have been no peace and safety had the war between dragons and Vikings not ended.

He needed Starfire to understand all of this. Everything had been happening too fast for him to sit down with here and fully explain the great journey he had been on for the past six years. He would even allow her to look into his mind, which was forbidden because at that level of connection, it was so simple to plant commands. The Red Death had forced her will upon her nest. Drago's Bewilderbeast had done the same. That one's mind was so strong that no dragon could resist its will, without an anchor. The bond between he and Hiccup was his anchor and allowed him to break free. All dragons of good conscience chose to never attempt that level of contact with another's mind. And yet Toothless was willing to invite Starfire to do so, so that she would know and comprehend the depths of the truths he had come to know.

As the flock approached the Waterfall in the Sea, he knew there would be time enough ahead of them all to come to terms with everything. The Hidden World, their new home, awaited.


	2. Chapter 2

_I neither own nor claim any rights to How To Train Your Dragon_

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**Hello, everyone. Sorry it has taken so long to get this second chapter to you. I've had a lot of unexpected issues come up that ate into my already limited time, on top of the game development and music composition projects I am working on, so it couldn't be avoided.**

**This is a chapter of both reflection and revelation. So let's get to it, shall we?**

* * *

**WORLDS APART****  
A Story of Vikings and Dragons**

**Chapter Two**

Finding sleep in New Berk was not easy that first night. Most of the people had long since grown accustom to to the sense of security their dragon companions had brought them. There was something to be said for having a fire-breathing guardian near them. Not to mention the peace that came with the familiar sound of dragons purring or softly crooning in the night. It was too quiet with the dragons gone, and when it was too quiet, too many things could happen. This new island was strange to them. Nobody knew what to expect.

Hiccup couldn't sleep at all. In fact, he found himself drawn back to the field, and the cliff overlooking the ocean. This was the closest point on the new island to the Hidden World.

"Well, bud," he said to the horizon, "You finally found a mate. And you'll do well as a king of dragons in your new home. I only wish I could be there with you." He stood there staring into the vast expanse before him, so focused on his thoughts that he did not notice that he was no longer alone.

"I miss Stormfly, too," Astrid said from behind him.

Hiccup twisted around in surprise and almost fell. The spare prosthetic was not as well-fitting as the one he had lost when Grimmel fell to his death. That made sudden motion a little awkward. He'd get used to it, until he had time to sit down at a workbench and fashion a new one.

"My, aren't we jumpy today," Astrid quipped.

"Ha ha," said Hiccup with his usual sarcasm as he reached his hand out to his betrothed.

Astrid took his hand and moved to stand next to him. Together they stared into the distance, each reflecting on where the past six years had brought them, and considering where the future would take them. After wrestling with her resolve, astrid decided to break the silence. "We need to get married," she said.

"What?" Hiccup was taken aback by her sudden change of position. Marriage was a foregone conclusion, but until so recently, it was something that Astrid had been clear that she was not ready for.

"We go forward together," she said. "You are the chief, and you can't do all of this on your own. And losing Stormfly made me realize just how alone I really am."

"Glad to know that I'm second pick to a dragon," he responded with a playful grin on his face.

Astrid punched him in the shoulder. "Idiot," she said with a silly grin on her face. "I mean that if I feel so alone without Stormfly, I know you feel more alone without Toothless. He was the first real friend you ever had. He was the first thing in your life that ever gave you a sense of purpose and belonging."

Hiccup looked down at the ground in thought.

"We should have..." Astrid continued and then sighed. She was done with trying to mask her true feelings. "_I_ should have been that for you."

Hiccup went down on his knees, suddenly feeling like someone had kicked him in the chest. She had just given form to a fear that had been growing on his mind since he had gone to his tent after the evening meal. And he was now with the only person he could trust to share it with. "Everything I became, I became because of Toothless. Without him, I'm just Hiccup. Why would anyone even take me seriously."

"Toothless didn't make you who you are, Hiccup," she said. "He simply provided you with a way to become who you are through means that none of us were smart enough to give you. You changed the world for all of us. For six years we have seen how your mind works. Yeah, a lot of your ideas are crazy and don't make sense to a lot of us. But only because we don't think like you."

He looked at her with a curious expression. "And?"

"And," she said. "A lot of people are scared of it. But a lot of people also respect it. You turned tradition on its head. You turned multiple villages into societies that welcomed dragons. Even the outcasts and Berserkers. Do you think that Dagur and Mala would have ever even met, let alone got married without you being on the board?"

"On the board?" was all Hiccup could say.

"Maces and Talons," she said. "Each piece has its rules and abilities. You added a new piece to the game. The Hiccup. Only one player gets to have one, and only when all the conditions are right can it be brought into play. And when it happens, that player wins by default, but the rules say that the opponents cannot forfeit. They must play until the end. Because the Hiccup is not just a conqueror, he is also a teacher." With that last statement, her eyes met Hiccup's

Tears leaked from Hiccup's eyes. He had never thought of the role he had played in the recent history of the Archipelago in that way. But Astrid was right. For all that had happened, the conditions had to be just right, and shooting toothless down on that fateful night six years ago was the key. Everything that happened after, while both challenging and painful, had brought him to a position of power. Even his father had come to take some cues from him, and Stoick the Vast never took cues from anyone. Oh the man made his own mind up about how to follow those cues, but it was Hiccup's ideas on how to leverage the abilities of both Vikings and dragons that led Berk into a period of peace and prosperity it had never known before. And it was him who had the strength and wisdom to remove the dragons from the equation. For their safety, and for the safety of his people.

"Astrid, I..." he wiped the tears from his face. "I don't know what to say."

She smiled at him. "You don't have to say anything. I just want you to know that I love you, and I want us to spend the rest of our lives by each other's side. I want to be your wife, and to have your children."

Hiccup gulped. This was his greatest dream ever since he was old enough to notice how wonderful Astrid was in every way. And that dream was coming true right in front of him. "I love you, too," He said with confidence.

"So, when do you want to do this?" she asked.

"As soon as we finish building the new village, he said. "I want to say, 'tomorrow,' but there is so much work to be done. The people need proper homes, and I wouldn't feel right bringing you into a _tent_ as my bride."

She laughed. "Let's announce that tomorrow. Nothing brings Berk together like a wedding or Snoggletog. Let's see which one comes first."

"You're on, Mi'lady..."

O O O

As Toothless and his massive flock of dragons from Berk approached the great waterfall in the sea, an equally massive flock arose from the depths of the Hidden World to meet them in the air, spreading out to form what looked like a blockade. A skrill, clearly the leader, flew forward.

Toothless remembered the skrill as a dragon who seemed suspicious of him on his first visit. Not hostile, just very cautious. What was his name? Ah, yes. "Greetings, Antor," he said cheerfully. "My flock and I would like to enter. Is there a particular reason why your group is blocking us?"

Antor narrowed his eyes. "Oh... so friendly for one leading an army to attack us."

"What?" Toothless couldn't believe he had just heard what the skrill had said. "An army? To attack the Hidden World? What kind of crazy talk is that?"

"I've been ordered to turn you away because you mean to conquer us." Antor clarified.

"Ordered by whom?" Starfire faded back into view,

Antor's eyes widened with surprise. "Starfire," he said. "He said you were probably dead."

"Who?" Toothless and Starfire both demanded in unison.

"Shardon," the Skrill answered.

"Pft," Starfire scoffed. "That figures. Obviously he was mistaken, and if he was mistaken about that, he's also mistaken about Toothless and his flock coming to attack."

"Orders are orders," Antor replied.

"Only the Alpha can give orders," Starfire retorted. "And last I checked, that would be Toothless."

"Maybe he almost was," Antor stated. "But he abandoned us in the middle of his acknowledgment ceremony to save the lives of _humans_ who had infiltrated our home. _Save_ them." He made no attempt to hide his contempt at the notion. "Shardon wasted no time in making matters clear to us. Toothless here is a human-lover. In fact, I can feel the love for humans radiating from his entire flock, and..." His eyes narrowed again. "...Even from _you_?"

"As usual," Starfire began, "Shardon has put two and two together and come up with three. He has no idea what's been happening in the outside world. How could he? He spends most of his time lurking in the shadows he has called home for the past eight years. And you would take orders from _him_?"

Antor grimaced. "He saw enough of the outside world. Dragons enslaved. Murdered. His own kind hunted to near extinction." He sneered at Toothless as he said that last.

Starfire sighed. "Okay. Here's what I propose. Allow our flock to enter and land below. Toothless and I will go talk some sense into Shardon."

Antor looked back and forth between Starfire and Toothless, clearly conflicted. The conflict only lasted a moment. "Only if Toothless commands his flock go go no further than it takes to find a spot to land."

"Accepted," said Toothless who turned to the flock from Berk and roared, followed by an Alpha's command to comply with Antor's terms.

Antor turned to the flock of dragons behind him, and roared a command to return to their usual business. "Let's go," he said, following the retreating dragons into the Hidden World, Starfire and Toothless right behind him.

They flew into the depths of the Hidden world, teeming with bio-luminescent plants. Then they turned down a tunnel that grew increasingly darker.

"I wasn't joking when I said Shardon lurks in the shadows," Starfire said as they landed.

Ominous laughter came from in front of them. "Darker than night. Devoid of light. What's out of sight. Feeds the fright."

Toothless could sense the truth behind the words. It carried apprehension, suspicion, and fear. And something deeper. Not quite malevolence. More like blind instinct to be ready to kill when backed into a corner. "Show yourself," Said Toothless, cautiously.

The voice in front of him chuckled darkly. "Oh, I think not."

Toothless drew himself up and spread his wings and spoke again, this time with the authority of an Alpha **"Show yourself!"**

The voice grunted defiantly. "Very well... Since you ask so nicely,"

A purple blast lanced upward and struck the cavern ceiling above Toothless and Starfire. It remained intact and illuminated the area dimly, but bright enough to reveal the source of the voice.

It was all Toothless could do to mask his shock. Before him, crouching in a position that could serve for offense or defense, was something that Toothless had almost given up hope of ever seeing:

Another Night Fury.


	3. Chapter 3

_I neither own nor claim any rights to How To Train Your Dragon_

* * *

**WORLDS APART  
A Story of Vikings and Dragons**

**Chapter Three**

The first day in New Berk after the dragons departed dawned clear and bright, filled with promise and beauty. The people were invigorated by both the climate and by the memory of their chief's speech the night before. They all still felt the pain of the absence of their draconian friends, but _they_ were Berk. They were alive. And they were together.

Hiccup was overseeing the clearing of a large area where the new Great Hall would be constructed. It would be large enoughg to house everyone until individual homes could be built, and would serve many purposes as the new town would be constructed. Just as the great hall of Old Berk had that one year when Devastating Winter had brought a blizzard that had destroyed almost every single house in the village. Hiccup was about eight when that happened, and he remembered well How great a leader his father had been in the aftermath. Now it was his turn. Part of him worried that he would mess up. But the other part of him knew that unlike his father, he would not have to bear the weight of the responsibility alone. Astrid and his mother both would be at his side, as would the other former dragon riders.

He was about to leave the work site to go inspect the forge that Gobber was building with Erret's help, but stopped in his tracks at the sound of horns being blown by the eastern lookouts. Two quick blasts. Allies on dragon-back.

A moment later, two Majestic Flamescales, once called Monstrous Nightmare descended towards the clearing and a moment later, their riders climbed down. Hiccup smiled as he he recognized them. Jarin and Chief Tarina of Nartara climbed off A Flamescale with thick pure-black horns and a significant part of his body in leather wrapping with dragon scales grafted into it whose name was shadowhorn. Off the other Flamescale with a gnarled front claw and metallic orange markings on its sides that caught the sunlight and sparkled like flames, climbed Gelbrun, Tarina's father and the former chief. The latter turned to stroke the neck of is dragon, Brokenclaw.

"Welcome," shouted Hiccup. "To all of you."

"It is good to see you and your people safe, Hiccup," said Tarina who reached out and took the hand of her husband, Jarin. "Word reached us in Nartara that Berk and its dragons were driven from their homes. We flew straight there to find out what was going on and found the place crawling with dragon trappers. We managed to capture one and after questioning him we learned that you all had headed west. We almost turned back when we saw this island on the horizon."

"Hiccup," asked Jarin, voice full of concern as he looked around. "Where are all of the dragons?"

"I'm wondering the same thing," said Gelbrun gruffly. The man once hated dragons with a passion, but had come to love them as strongly as any Berkian.

"It's a long story," Hiccup said. "I'll break out the mead , and then we'll all sit down and talk about it."

Astrid had come over while the new arrivals were talking. "I'll take care of that, Chief," she said and sprinted off to where the food and drink was stored. While she was gone, the Nartarans and Hiccup seated themselves on the grass. A few moments later, Astrid was back with a large jug of mead and enough cups for the five of them. After the jug had been passed around, and everyone had filled their mug, Hiccup told them all about the recent events that led him to his decision to relocate the people of Berk and their dragons to the Hidden World, and ultimately why the dragons had to go there without them.

Hiccup sighed. "Obviously, I can't tell any of you what to do with your dragons. But those who do not wish to see the truth about them are making a concentrated effort to hunt them down. I need to ask you to consider making the same choice. For their safety.

"Nartara is a democracy," stated Tarina. "I cannot make that decision for all the people. But I will explain everything and let the people decide. I know it will not be an easy decision.

Gelbrun was staring at the ground. "As chief and sole citizen of Dragon Island, I have come to love my neighbors almost like family. And while it would grieve me deeply if they left, I would prefer that they be safe, away from human kind." he stood. "Let me discuss it with Brokenclaw." he turned and strode over to where his Flamescale was resting in the grass, and the two of them seemed to stare into each other. A moment later, he returned to the group. "It is decided. Brokenclaw will return to Dragon Island and explain things to the other dragons there. He does not want to leave, but he cannot ignore the way the wind is blowing. Humanity beyond the Archipelago is changing. Conquerors and despots are rising up all over. If they can get their hands on dragons and force them into servitude, as we have seen happen with people like Drago Bludvist, then no peaceful dragon or person will be safe."

Hiccup nodded. "It's a good start. But what about the other dragon-friendly societies? I can't see the wing maidens or the Defenders of the Wing going along with the Dragon Exodus"

Astrid cleared her throat. "They won't like it. But they revere the dragons they live with. And they both know full well what will happen if evil people come in force for the dragons. I will go to them and explain things."

"You will?" Hiccup was uncomfortable with the thought of Astrid going off into dangerous territory.

"Yes, Hiccup," she said, matter of factly. "They are both matriarchal societies. Things will go more smoothly if a woman addressed this issue with them."

"Besides, Hiccup," Astrid continued, "You are the Chief. You cannot leave our people on their own at such a vulnerable time

"I will take her, Chief," Said Gelbrun. "If Brokenclaw and I are to have one last grand adventure together, then it would be an honor to be part of helping the dragons find true peace and safety. Let it be my final act of redemption from the horrors I caused."

Hiccup considered the once-mad chief's words and the words of his betrothed. He did not like the idea of Astrid flying off into danger, but she was right. The Defenders of the Wing and the Wing Maidens would not consider releasing the creatures they had sworn to protect if the notion was put forth by a man, and he had no dragon to go flying off on. And New Berk was vulnerable, indeed.

Tarina spoke up. "Once, under the direction of Stoick the Vast, Berk sailed to Nartara to help free it from the clutches of a madman." She watched her father wince at her words, but it was a matter of history no matter how painful the memory of it was. "And after, with Berk's help, Nartara was able to restore itself to its former glory. We owe your people a debt of gratitude. Once I am home, I will send Admiral Jorgen with half of our fleet to protect this island until such time as you are able to rebuild your own."

Hiccup's eyes widened. In the years since Berk had helped liberate them, the Nartarans had amassed quite a fleet. One that had ships designed with dragon power in mind. Hiccup had shared the idea with Jarin, who in turned shared it with Chief Tarina, and soon new ships that were built had special rigging that could be grasped by a dragon, allowing the ship to be pulled or pushed at greater speeds. This made trade with Berk a lot easier and quicker. And few pirates dared to attempt to draw close to a Nartaran Dragonship. And fishing? The dragons took fishing vessels right to the best spots, and with humans casting nets on one side and the dragons diving down to grab fish out of the water on the other, the ships often returned on the same day, fully loaded. "That's a lot of ships," he said.

"This is a big island," Tarina said with a smile, looking around as she really took in the sight of the place. "It is beautiful here, with lots of room to grow."

"We just need to get the Great Hall built, to serve as shelter for the elderly and families with young children while the actual houses are built," Explained Astrid. "And then it _will_ grow."

With a course of action more or less planned, it was decided that the guests would stay for the day and night and leave the next morning. It would not be long before the mid-day meal would be served, and everyone would be gathered where the Great Hall would soon be standing, and Hiccup and Astrid were looking forward to sharing their plans for their marriage. Having Gelbrun, Jarin and Tarina present would make it even better.

O O O

Another Night Fury...

Toothless was beside himself with shock.

"Oh, close your mouth hatchling," Shardon said, voice dripping with disdain. "You'll catch flies."

Toothless snapped his mouth shut. He took a good look at Shardon, and what he saw made him angry. The larger and much older Night Fury was covered with scars. Some were clearly from fighting with other dragons, but most were undeniably inflicted by human weapons.

"What's the matter, hatchling," Shardon asked coldly. "Don't like to be reminded of how hateful humans are?"

Toothless shook his head. "Not all humans are like that."

Shardon growled. "Yes. I've heard all about your story. Shot down by the very one who you now call a brother." The revulsion in Shardon's tone was just as clear as the truth behind his thoughts. "For six years you allowed yourself to be saddled and ridden by your would-be killer while your real brothers and sisters were still being hunted to extinction. For that, I should kill you where you stand, as my right of vengeance."

Toothless narrowed his eyes. "You act like you know so much, and yet you know so little." He remembered what Starfire had said before they were allowed to enter the Hidden World. "And you are one to talk. Yes, I lived for six years among a tribe of humans who put aside their hatred of Dragons. The very tribe that _murdered_ my first mate!" The memory of Graycloud's death still brought him pain, but the memory of her last words to him, begging him to forgive her killers even as she bled out had buried his desire for vengeance. "Where were you for the past _eight_ years, Shardon?" His teeth snapped out and he fixed the older dragon with a smile that was anything but toothless. "Oh... That's right... Hiding down here, in the shadows. Like the coward you a-"

WHAM!

Like lightning, Shardon had struck Toothless with his tail with staggering force. "You DARE?!"

Toothless was back on his feet quickly, the spines on his back glowing bright blue and his eyes narrowed to slits. **"You will never strike me again, old one. If you do, you wi-"**

WHAM!

Shardon's tail struck again, with even more force than before, and Toothless was sent tumbling backwards, and he wasn't as quick to stand back up this time.

Shardon't back spines began glowing an ominous red-orange as he drew himself up and spread _his_ wings. **"You will respect your elders, hatchling. If you do not, I... will... **_**break**_** you!"**

They stared at each other for a long moment. "I respect those who _earn_ my respect, Shardon. But I cannot respect ignorance. It is clear to me that neither of us understands the other. But the Hidden World is a sanctuary for _all_ dragons, regardless of their circumstances. My flock will be allowed to enter and live here without provocation, and I promise you that none of us will offer any provocation. That is all I care about at the moment.

Shardon narrowed his eyes, then he relaxed. "I sense the truth of your words, young one." The red-orange glow faded from his spines. He turned his gaze to Antor, who had been standing off to the side during the exchange. "He and his flock are free to dwell here. So long as they stay out of my way." He turned back to toothless. **"Get out."**

The two furies and the skrill flew back through the caves towards the entrance. It was Antor who broke the silence. "You resisted his commands..."

Toothless huffed. "And he resisted mine. He and I both have an alpha's authority. And though Shardon will not want to admit it, we are equals."

"And yet you deferred to him," Starfire stated.

"He is an elder. And he has been here longer. And he clearly has strong influence over many here, in spite of his cowardice."

"He is no coward," Antor said. "When he came to us he was just this side of death. Those scars you saw came from humans who were trying to slaughter his nest. He alone stood against over a hundred of them. He killed enough of them that the remainder fled. Concern for his nest was strong enough to keep him going. There was a terrible storm at about the same time, and many were scattered by it. Including his youngest brother's mate and her little shadow."

Toothless nearly fell out of the air. "Creator of all!" he exclaimed.

"What is it, Darkwing," asked Starfire with concern.

Toothless was panting and there was panic in his eyes. "When I really was just a hatchling, my mother and I were separated from our nest by a storm, and we wandered for a while, lost and alone." His voice was quavering now as distant memories came flooding back to him. "She called me her _little shadow,_"

Starfire gasped. "Then that means that Shardon..."

"Is my uncle," Toothless stated gravely.


End file.
